Method for making a steering strip for the automatic control of machines

ABSTRACT

A method for making steering or control strips for the automatic control of machines in which a design having one or more areas with periodically recurring distribution is transformed in raster-form on a pattern draft and in which the pattern draft is then scanned point-by-point in order to store the information in the form of scannable markings on the steering or control strips and to apparatus for use therewith.

United States Patent Schunack [54] METHOD FOR MAKING A STEERING STRIP FOR THE AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF MACHINES [72] Inventor: Dr. Ingenieur Johannes Schunack, Berlin,

Germany [73] Assignee: Firma Franz Morat GmbI-I, l-Iessbruhlstrasse, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany [22] Filed: Apr. 3, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 25,500

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 4, 1969 Germany .P 19 17 737.8

[52] US. Cl. ..l78/5.2 R, 66/1, 139/319, 250/219 D, 250/226, 346/33 MC [51] Int. Cl ..II04n 1/00, G05b 19/ 12 [58] Field ofSearch ..l78/5.2 R, 5.2 A,5.4 CD;

66/1, 50 R, 154 A; 250/202, 219 D, 226; 346/33 MC; 139/317, 318, 319

[56] 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,247,815 4/1966 Polevitzky ..178/5.2

[ Feb. 15, 1972 1/1966 Macouski et al 178/52 l/l971 Stock at al. ..250/226 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,180,486 2/1970 Great Britain ..66/ l 54 Primary Examiner-Richard Murray Assistant Examiner-P. M. Pecori AttorneyJohn Lezdey [57] ABSTRACT A method for making steering or control strips for the automatic control of machines in which a design having one or more areas with periodically recurring distribution is transformed in raster-form on a pattern draft and in which the pattern draft is then scanned point-by-point in order to store the information in the form of scannable markings on the steering or control strips and to apparatus for use therewith.

15 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures Q BLUE S GREEN WHITE RED ' PATENTEDFEBI 5 I972 SHEET 2 OF 6 FIG. 3

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PATENIEDFEB I 5 I972 SHEET S 0F 6 F IG. 9

SENSING HEAD PHoToELEgg-fic 28 AMPLIF!ER 2? I PULSE SHAPER COLOR RECOGNITION 42 BLUE 42C WHITE RELEASE saemu.

SHEET 8 OF 6 FIG. 70a

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METHOD FOR MAKING A STEERING STRIP FOR THE AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the field of steering or control strips for the automatic control of machines in which a design, having one or more areas with periodically recurring distribution is transformed in raster-form on a pattern draft and in which the pattern draft is then scanned to place the information on steering or control strips and to apparatuses for use therewith.

Steering or control strips produced in this fashion are suited for the control of many machines, especially for machines used in making pictures or patterns on or in flat-surfaced objects, such as paper, textile materials and the like. The design is usually achieved by means of differences in the color or the type of stitches and/or relief, for example, straight or circular knitting machines, weaving machines, or machines for making mosaic pictures.

The steering or control strips may be, for example, perforated strips, films with transparent and nontransparent areas, or magnetic tapes which are scanned during the operation of the machine. The scanning signals are then used in the necessary sequence which is generally derived from the arrangement of the information items stored on the steering or control strips for the purpose of controlling the various components of the machine. The production of steering or control strips of this kind is described, for example, in British Pat. Nos. 1,160,897 and 1,170,947, and in French Pat. No. 1,572,966, to which reference is expressly made here.

One special disadvantage in the prior art production of steering strips consists in the fact that the design must be transferred to the pattern draft point-by-point manually. This is a very laborious and a strenuous effort and considerably limits the steering strips production speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates more particularly to an improved method for preparing steering or control strips for the automatic control or operation of machines whereby a design having one or more areas with periodically recurring form is transferred to raster-form on a pattern draft and in which the pattern shaft is scanned point-by-point in order to store the information on the steering or control strips, and to apparatuses for use therewith.

It is therefore an object of this invention to facilitate the production of the raster-shaped pattern draft.

In this connection, the invention starts with the realization that in the production of multicolored fabrics, mosaic pictures, and the like, the design frequently has a number of areas in which the colors, the kinds of stitches, or the like are repeated in a periodic sequence. This is true, for instance, when certain half-tones are produced in one row of stitches or stitch course and stitches of one kind periodically alternate with stitches of another kind. Also, in a mosaic picture, squares of one color periodically alternate with squares of another color.

To simplify the production of the raster-shaped pattern draft in the presence of one or more such areas with periodically recurring distribution, this invention provides for the associate of each area of the pattern draft which has a periodically recurring distribution with only one color or brightness value on the pattern draft. Further, during the scanning of the pattern draft, each of these color or brightness values is electronically converted into a signal sequence which corresponds to the associated distribution of the design and is used for marking the steering or control strips.

With these signal sequences, one can then directly control the marking generators of the steering or control films. The signal sequences are obtained, in accordance with one preferred version of this invention, through frequency division from the rectangular signals of the scanning frequency. During the transfer of a regular square pattern according to a design, a square pattern which is illustrated in one color on the pattern draft, there can be used for each line of the pattern draft, one and the same signal sequence which is phase-shifted by from line-to-line during the line-by-line scanning of the pattern draft. I

The advantage of the method according to this invention resides in the fact that in the production of the pattern draft it is necessary to draw only large single-colored surfaces which need not reveal that fine structure which later on appears on the finished article. This enables the saving of a considerable amount of time and work.

The objects, advantages and nature of the present invention will be more readily understood from the descriptions of the preferred embodiments thereof hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings now described below:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a circular pattern on the surface of a fabric which is to be transferred to a steering strip according to this invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a pattern draft drawn in raster-form according to the pattern in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustratesthe pattern draft drawn in raster-form according to the pattern in FIG. I, however, in contrast to FIG. 2, only one color is associated with each area having a periodically recurring pattern, according to this invention;

FIG. 4a to 7b illustrate patterns with periodically recurring color or a stitch-type distribution and the signal sequences associated with each stitch row during the scanning of the pattern draft;

FIG. 8 shows a device for the transfer of the information items drawn on one pattern draft to a control film;

FIG. 9 shows an electronic device for the recognition of the color or brightness values of the raster dots in the pattern draft;

FIG. 10a shows a circuit diagram by means of which pattern-wise signal sequences are associated with the color recognition signals obtained with the device according to FIG. 9;

FIG. 10b illustrates the impulse forms of the impulses occuring in various places in the circuit diagram according to FIG. 10a.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In accordance with FIG. 1, one of the possible versions is a circular arrangement on the surface of a fabric. A circular core 1 which is a single color, such as red is constituted on a white background. Around core 1, concentric circular rings 3, 5, extend as transition zones to the white background. These rings 3, 5, are intended to create the impression of half-tones between red and white. If, for example, in the inside circular ring 3, there is selected a pattern consisting of alternating red or white stitches, both in a horizontal and in a vertical direction, then there is obtained a so-called one-one surface, which creates the effect of a tone in the middle between red and white if it is looked at from a sufficient distance. In the second circular ring 5, there is a sequence of red and white stitches. However, the number of white stitches on the average is greater. Red and white stitches, here likewise recur in a periodic sequence so that to the human eye there results a further gradation from the first ring 3 to the white surroundings.

So far it has been necessary, in the production of steering or control films to make a raster-shaped pattern draft according to FIG. 2 after the design according to FIG. 1. During drafting it is therefore necessary to fill out every individual raster dot with a color corresponding to the color of the stitch or the type of stitch, whereby one must proceed very carefully so that one will get definite values later on in the automatic scanning of the pattern draft. Accordingly, one can only draw the red core in a through-going fashion whereas the circular rings 3 and 5 must be filled out point-by-point.

In accordance with this invention, we mark only the limitation lines 7, 9, and 11, according to FIG. 3. These limitation lines correspond to the circular limitation lines of core 1 and of circular rings 3 and 5 on the design. The areas between the limitation lines on the other hand are drawn in a single color. More specifically, for examplethe core 1 is drawn in red, the first circular ring 3 is green, the second circular ring 5 is blue, and the surrounding is white. This considerably reduces the time required for the drawing of the pattern draft. Another essential advantage consists in the fact that there can be almost no drawing mistakes because every area with periodically recurring color or stitch type pattern generally extends over a multitude of stitches.

. plifier 38, to an impulse normalizer or pulse shaper as dis- A device for scanning the finished pattern draft and for making the steering or control strips has already been suggested in British Pat. Nos. 1,160,897 and 1,170,947, as well as in French Pat. No. 1,572,966. In accordance with FIG. 8, the scanning device has the reference number 13 and the pattern draft to be scanned has the reference number 15. The pattern draft consists of small squares, the raster dots A, B, C, D, and P, which are arranged parallel to the X- and Y-coordinates of a rectangular coordinate or grid system. In each square there is entered a color or brightness value corresponding to the color or the color distribution, respectively, a color or brightness value corresponding to the type of stitch or the stitch-type distribution on the design. All raster dots which are located on a line parallel to the X-axis correspond to one course of stitches. All raster dots located on a split or slot a, b, c, d, e, f, parallel to the Y-axis correspond to one stitch wale. If the part of the pattern draft 15, illustrated in FIG. 8, corresponds to an area of the design which is made up alternately of red and white stitches, then as indicated in connection with FIG. 3, all raster dots of the pattern draft would be drawn green.

In the scanning of the pattern draft, the scanning device 13 is moved parallel to the X-axis step-by-step over the pattern draft. so that one or more lines of the pattern draft are scanned simultaneously. The scanning signals obtained are fed to an electronic system 19 via lines 17. In this system, the color or brightness values corresponding to the individual raster dots are investigated, sorted, and then conducted onward to selected marking generators A1-24, which are arranged onthe circumference of a rotatable drum 21. On the circumference of drum 21 there is located a steering or control film St, which does not slip or slide and which during the rotation of the drum is moved away via guide rollers 23 and 24 toward and over guide rollers 25 and 26. The marking generators A1-24 are staggered toward each other in the direction of the drum axis so that the markings which are placed upon the film are distributed on different tracks. The steering or control strips can, for example, be a film which is exposed by the marking generators.

The scanning device 13 contains a number of scanning heads 28 (FIG. 9) which are arranged next to each other, parallel to the Y-axis, and which scan each raster dot. If, as in the example according to FIG. 3, the pattern draft is drawn in four colors (red, green, blue, white), then there are associated with each scanning head three systems consisting of filters, optical lenses, photocells 30 and preamplifiers 32. The pattern draft is then exposed in terms of impulses with the scanning frequency, for example, c.p.s., and in accordance with the reflection capacity of the individual raster dots, flashes are directed at selected photocells of each scanning head. By means of the optical filters there can be made certain that there will be only one flash hitting one photocell of each scanning head, that is, if this scanning head just happens to be scanning a red, green, or blue raster dot, or that flashes will simultaneously hit all three photocells, if a white raster dot happens to be scanned at that particular moment. Further details of the scanning device have already been described in British Pat. No. 1,170,947.

In the photocells 30 of each scanning head 28 of which only one cell is shown in FIG. 9, the light signals are converted into electrical signals. The electrical signals are conducted via a line 34, a preamplifier 32, a shielded line 36, and a power amclosed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3578976 issued May 18, 1971 40. By means of the impulse normalizer, impulses with a constant location, length, and size are generated from the incoming signals, so that reliable recognition of the scanned color is possible and fluctuations'in the photo signals can be compensated. The impulse normalizers, which are connected with every photocell, give us information about the color of the raster dots. If all three impulse normalizers of a scanning head simultaneously give off one normalized or standardized impulse during one scanning step, this means that the associated scanning head has scanned a white raster dot.

To the three impulse normalizers 40, which areassigned to one scanning head 28, there is connected the three inputs of one color recognition circuit 42. Each color recognition circuit reveals one output more than the pattern draft has colors. The outputs 42A, 42B, 42C, and 42D, for the colors (hereafter called color outputs) of which there are four present in the example selected, can be connected with each marking impulse generator so that the impulses given off by the color recognition circuit will be directly steered toward these marking impulse generators. The output 42A is, for example, associated with the color red, the output 423 isassociated with the color green, the output 42C is associated with the color blue, and the output 42D is associated with the color white. The fifth output 425 of the color recognition circuit 42 is connected with the exposure apparatus 44 for the marking impulse generators and gives off a release signal if there has been a flawless color recognition.

Each color recognition circuit has as essential components one AND-member and one OR-member (not shown). The AND-member is thus connected with the three inputs and with the color output 42D'of the color recognition circuit in such a manner that,.in case of the simultaneous appearance of a normalized impulse at all three inputs, an impulse is given off only by the color output 42D of the color recognition circuit which is connected with the AND-member and so that the three other color outputs 42A-C are momentarily blocked because of the absence of a signal. This facilitates the recognition of white. In the recognition of the colors red, green, and blue, there is an impulse at each one of the three other color outputs.

The OR-member is connected on the input side with the four color outputs 42A-D and on the output side, withthe fifth output 42E of the color recognition circuit 42. Consequently, this fifth output always gives off an impulse if there is one impulse only at one of the inputs of the OR-m ember (correspondingly, on one of the color outputs 42A-D). The

appearance of an impulse at the fifth output 42E of the color recognition circuit thus is a sign that a certain color has been definitely and clearly scanned by the scanning head. The exposure apparatus 44 is controlled by means of output impulses from the fifth output 42E, that is, the shutter is released only if there has been a flawless color recognition. The impulses appearing at the five outputs of the color recognition circuit in terms of their phase position and form correspond to the impulses given off by the impulse normalizers 40.

In accordance with the above description, a marking is affixed during each scanning step on preselected tracks of the steering strip. If there is, for example, a four-color pattern on the pattern draft and if one line of the pattern draft is scanned per scanning step, then a total of four tracks of the steering or control strip is provided with markings. The track 1, for example, gets a marking if a red raster dot is scanned,; track 2 gets a marking if a green raster dot is scanned; track 3 gets a marking if a blue raster dot is scanned; and track 4 gets a marking if a white raster dot is scanned. During the scanning of the steering or control strip for the purpose of controlling the operation of a textile machine, for example, a circular knitting machine, each track of the steering or control strip then controls each system of the machine.

In contrast to this method for making the steering or control strip, which has already been suggested in the previously mentioned earlier applications, the areas of the design corresponding to a periodic color or stitch-type pattern are drawn in one color on the pattern draft according to this invention. A regular square pattern consisting of red and white stitches can, for example, be illustrated in green on the pattern draft. The entire section of the pattern draft illustrated in FIG. 8 can likewise be drawn uniformly in green. During the scanning of a single-color line of this pattern draft it would therefore be necessary to attach markings in the steering strips steering tracks which are associated with the red and the white color, so that the red-white square pattern would be reproduced on the finished merchandise. These two tracks could be used for controlling two different systems of the machine to be controlled. The above-described electronic device should be provided with an accessory device by means of which there can be accomplish a distribution of markings on various steering tracks in the case where only one color is scanned.

In accordance with this invention, there is associated with each color of the pattern draft, a signal sequence corresponding to the pattern that is present on a design or artistic drawing. If, in the example according to FIG. 1, there is considered the presence of a red stitch as one condition or state and the presence of a white stitch as another condition or state, then, in analogy to computer engineering, the presence of a red stitch can be illustrated by the presence of an electrical impulse (for example, the binary one) and the presence of a white stitch can be illustrated by the absence of an electrical impulse (for example, the binary zero). For each red course of stitches in the design, which likewise shows up red on the pattern draft, one could then associate an impulse sequence whose follow up frequency is equal to the scanning frequency so that one impulse will appear during each scanning step. These impulses would then be conducted directly to the marking generator set aside for red. In order to accomplish this, the above-described electronic device need not be altered because every scanned red point automatically leads to a marking on the steering track earmarked for red.

In a similar manner, one could designate or mark every white point of the pattern draft, which is discussed corresponds to one white stitch in the design, by means of the absence of an impulse and using known electronic components one could make sure that whenever there is no impulse present the marking generator of the steering track set aside for white would be activated. In many cases, however it will be easier to leave unaltered the channels of the abovedescribed device (FIG. 9), which are set aside for white. In this case, the color output 42D of the color recognition circuit 42, set aside for white, gives off an impulse with which the associated marking generator is directly operated.

If, in accordance with FIG. 1, a regular square pattern is to be made in the inside circular ring 3, one would normally get a raster or screen pattern in accordance with FIG. 4a. This checkerboard pattern, as mentioned above by way of example, is in accordance with this invention replaced by a uniform green coloring while the impulse sequences drawn in FIG. 4b, are associated with the green color. In these sequences each impulse corresponds to one red stitch and each interval between two impulses (binary zero) corresponds to one white stitch. If a red-white pattern in accordance with FIG. 4a were to be scanned with the help of the above-described, already previously proposed device, then there would be alternately marked a track set aside for red and a track set aside for white on the steering strip. Since in accordance with the invention the pattern in FIG. 4a is drawn uniformly green, for example, on the pattern draft, it is necessary by means of an accessory circuit to see to it that the signal sequences according to FIG. 4b are associated with the color green, also by means of the impulses of these signal sequences the track set aside for red is marked on the steering strip while the intervals between two impulses cause the track of the steering strip set aside for white to be marked.

The correct association here can be accomplished using known electrical switching elements in so manyfold a manner that it is impossible and likewise not necessary for the understanding of the invention to go into all of the different versions. For example, it is possible from the rectangular signals of the scanning frequency amounting to 10 c.p.s. by means of frequency division to make a raster consisting of electrical signals and to use the individual raster dots of this raster for the control or steering of the marking generators so long as the color associated with this raster is recognized.

In accordance with one version here as illustrated schematically in FIG. 10a, it is possible to conduct the signals, given off by the color outputs 42A-D of thecolor recognition circuit according to FIG. 9, toward frequency dividers and AND- and OR- members. The circuit according to FIG. 10a is suited for the marking of a steering strip according to a design which features a red core having in the form of a circular ring, (corresponding to the area formed by the two circular rings 3, 5 in FIG. 1), a red-white square pattern according to FIG. 4a and a white surrounding. The color output 42A for red in the color recognition circuit 42 which is connected to one of the scanning heads 28, is connected with a line 46 while the color output 428 for green is connected with a line 48, and the color output 42D for white is connected with a line 50. In case of the recognition of red, there are then generated in line 46, normalized impulses with a followup or sequence frequency which corresponds to the scanning frequency. They are conducted by means of an OR-member 01 and a line 52 to the marking generator of the track set aside for red. If white is recognized, then impulses develop in line 50 and with the scanning frequency. These impulses reach the marking generator of the track set aside for white by means of an OR- member 02 and a line 54. If, on the other hand, an area of the pattern draft is scanned which on the design corresponds to the red-white checkerboard pattern, and if green is drawn on the pattern draft, then the color output 42B of the color recognition circuit 42 (FIG. 9), which is set aside for green, gives off impulses with the scanning frequency onto the line 48 which leads to a bistable multivibrator Ml with the two outputs A and B. At output A of the multivibrator there appears con sequent impulses with a sequence frequency which is half as great as those of the scanning frequency. If these impulses are conducted to an input of an AND-member U1, whose other input is connected with line 48, then there will appear at the output of AND-member Ul, impulses with a frequency which will be equal to half the scanning frequency with a length which is equal to the length of the normalized impulses that are fed in through line 48. These impulses are fed in to the marking generator corresponding to the color red through the OR- member 01 and the line 52.

At output B of the multivibrator Ml, there are generated impulses which in comparison to those at output A, are phaseshifted by These impulses are conducted to AND- member U2 at whose other input the line 48 is likewise connected. At the output of the AND-member U2 there will appear impulses with a sequence frequency corresponding to half of the scanning frequency, with a length corresponding to the length of the normalized impulses and with such a phase position that they will come to lie exactly between two impulses which are given off by the AND-member U1. The output of the AND-member U2 is connected with line 54 via the OR- member 02. Thus, there can be seen the following; the circuit described herekeeps scanning green with the scanning head so long as alternating impulses are fed in by lines 52 and 54, so that the marking impulse generators, responsible for red and white, are alternately activated. Consequently, the tracks of the steering or control strip, which correspond to red and white, are marked alternately, so that, we get the same marking sequence on the steering or control strip as if the red-white checkerboard pattern had been applied upon the pattern draft, dot for dot, as hitherto customary, and as if the old device had been used.

The impulse forms which develop at the various places in the circuit diagram according to FIG. 10a, are illustrated in FIG. 10b. The two OR-members 01 and 02 prevent impulses from being conducted into the lines 52, respectively, 54. Also,

if green and red or green and white are recognized simultaneously it would signify a wrong color recognition.

' The switching diagram according to FIG. 10a is suited for making the patterns illustrated in FIGS. 40 and a, as seen from the associated signal sequences in accordance with FIGS. 4b and 5b, all of which are identical. If the pattern draft is scanned with only one scanning head 28, then to make the pattern according to FIG. 40 one must make sure that a phaseshift of the associated signal sequence is performed by 180 as I we go from line to line in the pattern draft. If the pattern according to FIG. 5a is to be transferred, then this phase-shift is not necessary.

If one scans simultaneously with a large number of scanning heads (for example, 12) and if one circuit according to FIG. a is associated with each scanning head, then there must be provided in each second switching arrangement according to FIG. 10a, one more device by means of whichthe signals coming from line 48 (green) are phase-shifted by 180, whereby there is obtained the association from scanning head to scanning head which is shown in FIG. 4b. Without such phaseshifts there is obtained only make the pattern according to FIG. 5b.

By going from line-to-Iine in the pattern draft there is maintained a signal that is constant but that changes from courseto-course and there is obtained the pattern shown in FIG. 6a which is characterized by the impulse forms shown in FIG. 6b. There is a much less dense pattern if every other stitch course is left white and if there is formed alternatingly red and white stitches in the other courses (FIG. 7a). The impulse sequences illustrated in FIG. 7b are associated with such a pattern, which approximately corresponds to the pattern of the circular ring 5 in FIG. 1.

The invention is not confined to the design versions described here. Instead, it can be advantageously used whenever one wants to transfer designs with periodically recurring color or stitch-type distribution upon a steering strip. It is possible here that the electronic expenditure for the steering strip marking device might increase considerably. This increased expenditure however is in no ratio whatsoever to the time savings and to the manpower savings for making the pattern draft. Besides, this invention is not confined to the described device for the scanning of the pattern draft and for the marking of the steering strip. The structure of the device instead depends on how many systems the machine to be controlled will have, and therefore, how many tracks the steering strip will have, how many colors are drawn on the pattern draft and in what way the design is patterned. The structure of the device therefore depends extensively on the individual case so that one in the art can find the most favorable solution in each particular case with the help of the known circuit elements.

It is understood that the invention is not confined to periodically recurring distributions coming from two conditions (for example, two colors, two types of stitches, etc.); instead, it can be applied accordingly also if three or more colors or stitchtypes alternate periodically in the design.

I claim:

1. A method of recording color information from a design on a record carrier, which comprises the steps of:

a. transferring said design on a pattern draft;

b. associating each color of said design with a predetermined color on said pattern draft and associating each area of said design having a periodically recurring distribution of at least two colors with another predetermined color on said pattern draft;

c. optically electronically scanning said pattern draft in an incremental manner so as to detect said colors thereon and to generate electrical signals for each increment scanned, each signal representing one color on said pattern draft;

d. electronically converting said signals which are associated with a color of said pattern draft representing an area of said design with a periodically recurring distribution into a signal sequence having at least two different signals corresponding to the different colors of said distribution; v

. associating marking generators with said record and I f. controlling said marking generators by said signals and said signal sequences so that said record carrier has reproduced on it color information as a function of the position of said colors on said design.

2. The method according to claim 1 including illustrating a line of said design which consists alternatingly of two colors as a line on said pattern draft in only one color; converting the signals generated by optically-electronically scanning said color to a signal sequence consisting alternatingly of impulses whichcorrespond to the binary 0 and the binary l, and controlling one of said marking generators with the binary 0 impulses and another one of said marking generators with the binary l impulses.

3. A method according to claim 1 including illustrating a plurality of lines of said design representing a regular square pattern consisting alternatingly of two colors on said pattern draft as only one color; converting the signals generated by optically-electronically scanning said color to a signal sequence consisting alternatingly of impulses which correspond to the binary O and the binary 1; phase shifting the signals of said sequence associated to one line of said pattern draft by 180 in relation to the signals of said sequence associated to the line above or below said line; and controlling one of said marking generators with the binary 0 impulses and another one of said marking generators with the binary 1 impulses.

4. A method according to claim 3, deriving from said binary 0 impulses a pulse sequence of binary l'impulses and controlling all marking generators with binary l impulses.

5. A method according to claim 1 which comprises scanning said pattern draft point by point and line by line with a scanning frequence and obtaining said signal sequences through frequency division of said scanning frequency.

6. An apparatus for recording color information from a design on a record carrier by scanning a pattern draft having colored areas representing areas of said design consisting of a periodically recurring distribution of at least two colors, comprising in combination:

a. optical electronic sensing means for scanning in an incremental manner said pattern draft to detect the colors thereon and to generate electrical signals for each increment scanned, each signal representing one color on said pattern draft;

b. electronic converting means connected to said sensing means for converting signals which are associated with a color on said pattern draft representing an area of said design with a periodically recurring distribution into a signal sequence having at least two different signals corresponding to the different colors of said distribution;

. marking generators connected to said converting means, said recording elements being controlled by said signals and said signal sequences for recording the color information of said design on said record carrier; and

d. means connecting said converting means and said marking generators whereby the record carrier has reproduced on it said color information as a function of the position of said colors on said design.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said record carrier is a control strip for automatic controlling a machine.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said control strip is on a rotatable drum.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein a plurality of marking generators are staggered toward each other in direction of the drum axis so that the markings placed on said strip are distributed on different tracks. I

10. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said sensing means are associated with filter means, optical means, photocells and preamplifier means.

carrier;

frequency dividing means producing at least two pulse sequences consisting of binary l impulses each of said pulse sequences representing one color of said periodically recurring distribution on said design.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each of said pulse sequences controls a different marking generator.

I i i 

1. A method of recording color information from a design on a record carrier, which comprises the steps of: a. transferring said design on a pattern draft; b. associating each color of said design with a predetermined color on said pattern draft and associating each area of said design having a periodically recurring distribution of at least two colors with another predetermined color on said pattern draft; c. optically electronically scanning said pattern draft in an incremental manner so as to detect said colors thereon and to generate electrical signals for each increment scanned, each signal representing one color on said pattern draft; d. electronically converting said signals which are associated with a color of said pattern draft representing an area of said design with a periodically recurring distribution into a signal sequence having at least two different signals corresponding to the different colors of said distribution; e. associating marking generators with said record carrier; and f. controlling said marking generators by said signals and said signal sequences so that said record carrier has reproduced on it color information as a function of the position of said colors on said design.
 2. The method according to claim 1 including illustrating a line of said design which consists alternatingly of two colors as a line on said pattern draft in only one color; converting the signals generated by optically-electronically scanning said color to a signal sequence consisting alternatingly of impulses which correspond to the binary 0 and the binary 1, and controlling one of said marking generators with the binary 0 impulses and another one of said marking generators with the binary 1 impulses.
 3. A method according to claim 1 including illustrating a plurality of lines of said design representing a regular square pattern consisting alternatingly of two colors on said pattern draft as only one color; converting the signals generated by optically-electronically scanning said color to a signal sequence consisting alternatingly of impulses which correspond to the binary 0 and the binary 1; phase shifting the signals of said sequence associated to one line of said pattern draft by 180* in relation to the signals of said sequence associated to the line above or below said line; and controlling one of said marking generators with the binary 0 impulses and another one of said marking generators with the binary 1 impulses.
 4. A method according to claim 3, deriving from said binary 0 impulses a pulse sequence of binary 1 impulses and controlling all marking generators with binary 1 impulses.
 5. A method according to claim 1 which comprises scanning said pattern draft point by point and line by line with a scanning frequence and obtaining said signal sequences through frequency division of said scanning frequency.
 6. An apparatus for recording color information from a design on a record carrier by scanning a pattern draft having colored areas representing areas of said design consisting of a periodically recurring distribution of at least two colors, comprising in combination: a. optical electronic sensing means for scanning in an incremental manner said pattern draft to detect the colors thereon and to generate electrical signals for each increment scanned, each signal representing one color on said pattern draft; b. electronic converting means connected to said sensing means for converting signals which are associated with a color on said pattern draft representing an area of said design with a periodically recurring distribution into a signal sequence having at least two different signals corresponding to the different colors of said distribution; c. marking generators connected to said converting means, said recording elements being controlled by said signals and said signal sequences for recording the color information of said design on said record carrier; and d. means connecting said converting means and said marking generators whereby the record carrier has reproduced on it said color information as a function of the position of said colors on said design.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said record carrier is a control strip for automatic controlling a machine.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said control strip is on a rotatable drum.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein a plurality of marking generators are staggered toward each other in direction of the drum axis so that the markings placed on said strip are distributed on different tracks.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said sensing means are associated with filter means, optical means, photocells and preamplifier means.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said sensing means includes color recognition means.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said electronic converting means includes frequency dividing means.
 13. An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said means connecting said converting means and said marking generators include AND- and OR-members.
 14. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said frequency dividing means producing at least two pulse sequences consisting of binary 1 impulses each of said pulse sequences representing one color of said periodically recurring distribution on said design.
 15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each of said pulse sequences controls a different marking generator. 